The biotechnological transformation process of hydrocortisone to 16 alpha-hydroxy hydrocortisone, a precursor of the widely used anti-inflammatory drug desfluorotriamcinolone, performed by Streptomyces roseochromogenes, requires high conversion ratios, low by-product formation, and a good product recovery after microbial conversion. To reach these targets, in this research, new whole cell transformation and chromatographic purification approaches were exploited. The optimal pH and temperature settings for the microbial conversion were first studied in shake flasks and then in 2.5-L batch experiments. Pulsed feedings,during fermentations, coupled with a two step substrate addition approach, pushed to a transformation ratio of 63.0 +/- 3.0%, starting from 1 g L-1 of substrate. By employing a DO-stat feeding strategy in 22-L fed-batches the transformation ratio increased up to 80.0 +/- 2.0% with a ratio of 16 alpha-hydroxy hydrocortisone on the total products of 94.5 +/- 0.4%. In addition a new protocol for the 16 alpha-hydroxy hydrocortisone purification, directly from the broth supernatant, was set up by using reverse phase chromatography reaching a 85.0 +/- 2% product recovery with a product purity grade of 93.0 +/- 2.0%. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.